


Juno Senju

by DreamsinBadlands



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Shiranui Genma, Anbu Uchiha Itachi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, Families of Choice, Gen, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher, Itachi is a good teacher, Kidnapping, Mokuton, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sage Mode (Naruto), Samurai, Tenzo is also a good teacher, Unconventional Families, and other jutsus, but also a hardass, but like waaaay later, mainly why it takes so long to update, medical ninjutsu, scientific explanation of mokuton
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-21 15:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsinBadlands/pseuds/DreamsinBadlands
Summary: After the events in the Land of Iron, she is wary to start over in this green village full of top class killers, but she figures, with a new name comes a second chance anyway.Senju!OC, samurai!OC, established RaiGen, medicine, tags may change, further notes inside. First posted on Fanfiction.net
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Original Female Character(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Namiashi Raidou/Shiranui Genma, Uchiha Itachi & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Pilot

**Author's Note:**

> Hi and welcome to my very first fanfiction on this website! English isn't my first language so please excuse the mistakes or weird phrasings, I'll try to keep them to a minimum, but I appreciate any constructive criticism since it helps me and this story grow.  
> Enjoy !

I wasn't sure what to expect of this village the first time I sat foot inside, brought in by the ANBU team who'd found me in that damned forest in the Land of Iron, half-frozen to death and ravenous as the fauna I had been pointlessly trying to hunt.

I had been roaming those woods for what could have been weeks or months, for all I cared, stuck in a weird sense of limbo after running away from my home. After the outburst that took out my parents I didn't have any other accidents, even though a few would have been welcomed the few times I got close to the regional wildlife. But alas, up to that point my abilities had always showed only when it suited them.

And that was partly the reason why I was here now.

The team that found me comprised of four men, ranging from kids to adults, all wearing masks, all clad in the kind of armour that screamed ninja to any civilian with eyes to see. It was easy to tell they were elite, after all, they had managed to track me at the literal edge of the world.

It took more than two weeks to reach the village, walking mostly on foot and stopping often to feed and care for me, since frostbite and malnutrition had hindered any kind of attempt at prolonged travel on my side.

On one of those stops I managed to gives us all a scare when, hearing the sound of a wolf howling in the distance, I started sprouting roots and wood spears at random out of the frozen ground. It took them a while to calm me down after that, especially since I kept freaking out over the wooden stumps extending down from my elbows, where before it had been smooth, fleshy skin.

One of them, Tenzo, I learned in time, disposed of my creation and walked me through some exercises to slow down my breathing. I felt then the wood slowly chipping away with resounding creaks, revealing my hands underneath. Another one crouched in front of me and got started on healing the bloody patches where the wood had ripped off with a layer of my skin still attached. The green glow of it was fascinating, along with the warm feeling spreading from it. I was getting the feeling he was generally a warm, laid back kind of person, trying a couple of time to blow my anxiety away with a few jokes. That long needle dangling from his mouth was also interesting to watch, and combined with that, his presence had indeed the desired effect on me.

The last two should probably be the most noteworthy, since the silver-haired one extended me the invitation, and the black haired one convinced me to accept it. Kakashi Hatake, whom even at my age I'd heard whispers of back home, and Itachi Uchiha, whose words would influence my decisions for a long time.

That said, after having endured the militaristic indoctrination in the samurai ranks up to the age of seven, having finally rebelled against my parents for oppressing my abilities and subsequently fleeing the household where I had impaled them, I was reluctant when out of no where I was given a second chance. And by the people my family hated the most, using a power they never could possess, in a village full of mercenaries, under the rule of a dictator renowned in the whole wide world.

But, as I entered Konoha for the first time, surrounded by Kakashi, Tenzo, Genma and Itachi, feeling all the life radiating from every green corner, I couldn't help but think that here at least, in spite of everything that would come, I stood a chance to fight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, I really don't have a schedule for posting, I'm very bad with schedules in general, which comes to bite me in the ass in med school quite often. So I'll try to post some of the chapters I already wrote this evening, and the rest sometime in the next few days. After that, let's see when the stars align and my muse hits me when I also have free time to write.   
> Now, this story will be heavily influenced about medicine in the later chapters and sciency and stuff, cuz I'm a huge nerd, but I hope you will like it :)  
> Enjoy !

It turned out eventually that the Leaf had to pull a lot of strings and make substantial concessions to the Land of Iron to get them to agree on having a small team extract me and ship me back to Konoha to live there. Of course, considering my rather peculiar abilities that tended to burst out at any given time and just didn't fit in the harsh, frozen environment the samurai inhabited, an argument was made that it would be beneficial if I were trained by the Leaf and later would be deployed to my homeland when they needed me to aid with, err, say infrastructure development.

Really, Mokuton was as versatile as it was unpredictable. Tenzo had explained that those shapeless roots I had created could turn into pillars, timber, floor tiles, window sills and furniture, all with the right training. That also went for the offensive power of this element, where the attacks could take any shape and form.

Sadly, it appeared that Hashirama Senju, that according to Tenzo was the first Wood Release user, hadn't left that many notes behind, never thinking that a successor may be born with the same ability. Though I wasn't yet clear on how me and Tenzo were related and everybody seemed to conveniently switch to another topic when I'd ask, it was easy enough to figure my mother had been a direct descendant of the Senju clan, and as such one of the more distant cousins of Tsunade. I didn't know how to feel about having relatives alive, but I was told she had left the village a while ago, so it was unlikely I'd see her very soon and thus, have to make up my mind about it.

After arriving, I was plunged suddenly in hyper-awareness, whereas before on the way back I had still been stuck in that stupor, where events seem to move faster than they can be processed. Everything here was so vibrant and full of life, streets bustling with activity, trees and flowers growing from every direction possible between buildings huddled together. I felt my chest slowly expanding outwards, as if a pressure had lifted.

_I liked it here._

We headed through serpentine roads towards one of the larger buildings in the village, red and circular, with the kanji for Fire drawn on top. One of my rescuers explained on the way that we were going to the Hokage, the leader of the village, to report back on the success of the mission and get me started on the administrative process that involved establishing my Konoha citizenship.

The Third Hokage himself was a bit of a let-down, back when I first met him in his office, fooled by his aged stature and grandfatherly look into thinking he was just as harmless. Later I would learn about the steely force of character and all-encompassing power and knowledge that laid behind that wrinkled frame, but also the means he used to get me there.

He welcomed me warmly, like one would a long lost relative and assured me Konoha would soon feel like home. At that point I rushed to confirm to him that I already liked it way more than back in Iron. But maybe the way his eyes flashed when he heard my eagerness should had sent off warning bells in my head, but his gentle smile only served to reassure me more instead. I was young and desperate for approval at that time, since i'd received none before.

''It is my hope you will find here everything you need in order to cultivate and learn to control your abilities.'' he said kindly. ''The First Hokage was the founder of this village and the first to possess and master the legendary mokuton, that brought him many achievements. And while I believe the swordsmanship training that was given to you isn't lacking in any way, it would be a waste not to hone your skills as a shinobi, considering your potent affinity for this natural element.'' Here he paused to gauge my reaction before continuing. ''As such, I wish to extend you the invitation to join the Academy, starting next month.''

I turned the idea in my head a couple of times before agreeing, I was sick of having no control over my powers.

The Hokage's smile was definitely pleased this time, having the air that he had expected my answer. And why wouldn't he? I found myself in a deplorable position, back home I would be shunned or executed for what I'd done, and I wouldn't be able to live anywhere else as long as I was a natural hazard to my surroundings, so it wasn't like I could do anything but accept what they offered me.

''Then I wish to welcome you to Konohagakure no Sato. I have no doubts that in time, you may come to accomplish just as much as the First, Midori-chan.''

''No, not Midori'' I replied frowning. That name had been given to me as a mockery and a bad omen at my birth. Nothing green survived in the snow, all living plants withering and shriveling away from cold. But I would survive. 'It's Juno Senju'.

And I swore to myself in that moment, that ten years would be all it would take. To become strong, so strong no one would ever put a leash on me again.

The Third smiled with grim satisfaction.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I feel like I should have added an explanation about her name in the last chapter: midori means green in Japanese and ju is number ten. I hope the symbolism makes sense now.  
> Enjoy !

After filling in all the citizenship forms, I was given a moderate allowance, with the instructions to come and collect it monthly, and a key to an apartment. I would have expected to be assigned to the orphanage, since I was still a little kid with no ninja training, but behind all the empty reassurances from the staff that I only deserved the best considering my lineage, I was able to discern their true reasons. They wanted to keep an eye on me. I was still a foreigner, and one with training nonetheless, and while it was dubious I could do any serious damage, it would be irresponsible to leave an unknown variable unattended.

So it made even more sense why my place was located in a shinobi complex apartment about twenty minutes away from the hospital, on the same floor with Genma and two floors away from Kakashi and Tenzo, who apparently were neighbors. The later two had dismissed themselves together with Itachi, explaining that they had another mission to prepare for, and Genma was instructed to get me settled in and do the same afterwards.

As I entered I noticed that, while it was a medium sized two-room apartment, I wasn't the first to live there. The walls could do with some new paint, and the sparse furniture, while in good condition, wasn't by any means new. There was a single bed stuffed in the corner, a worktable with chair near a window, a wardrobe and some bookshelves and a run-down carpet, fraying at the edges. I followed Genma in the adjacent kitchen to help him store the bag of groceries we'd got on the way there in the fridge. The kitchen also had seen better days, but everything was functional as far as i could tell.

Hesitantly, I asked him to teach me to use the stove, I needed that in order to learn how to cook. Surprise flashed on his face for a brief moment, but after a nonchalant 'sure, kid' he started explaining without further question. I was beginning to like his laid-back character, even though I wasn't sure how much was fabricated in order to put me at ease.

After he gave me a quick crash course on boiling the water and chopping vegetables, we moved back to the living room. Overall the apartment wasn't luxurious, but way above what a seven year old foreigner deserved, even one under surveillance, which set me further on edge. On my way to Konoha I had realised they hadn't been sent to retrieve me out of the goodness of their hearts, but rather for my abilities. But what did they plan to do with me in the long term -

''You're thinking too much, kid'' Genma startled me out of my thoughts. He was giving me a calculating look from near the worktable, on top of which I now saw sat a small pile of books and scrolls. I bee-lined to the heap and started reading the titles. History, economy, culture, chakra theory, science and medicine, gastronomy, literature and a surprising amount of botany books, which okay, fair game.

I gave him a quizzical glance.

''Consider it a welcoming gift from me and the others, you'll need them to prepare for the academy.'' He extended me another scroll. ''This one's from Tenzo, basic control exercises for Wood release. Nothing major, so you can work on it by yourself. Use the Training grounds 11 and 39, if you need to, they are allotted to this living complex. If you need anything, room 301 on the next floor is Raidou Namiashi. I'll check on you when I'm back.''

With that he made his way to the floor, leaving me to puzzle over all the information he had just dumped on me.

'And kid, relax, no one is out for your blood yet' he gave me a lazy smile from the entrance, needle dangling dangerously from his mouth, before closing the door.

_Yet_ , huh? Now the books made more sense.

* * *

For the reminder of the day I strolled through Konoha to buy some stuff for my room. Aside from my katana, I hadn't brought anything with me coming here. So I needed a few changes of clothes, dishes and cutlery, instant ramen, since let's face it, I didn't think my first attempts at cooking would be edible, soap, shampoo, toilet paper, and probably a blanket later, when the wetter would get cold.

When I arrived in the Fire country it was late July, smack in the middle of the summer and therefore I was sweating buckets, as I was making my way back to the apartment, shopping bags dangling from both of my arms and shoulders.

I must had been a sight for the natives, tumbling around with a bunch of stuff three times my size, red-faced and gritting my teeth every two steps. It wasn't even that heavy, my training had focused mainly on my arms and upper body strength, but the damn _heat..._ The road was sizzling.

I resolved to buy a fan the next day, after tossing in my bed the entire night, unable to sleep in the hot, stifling room, even with all the windows open.

* * *

In the afternoon I resolved to start training with Tenzo's scroll. I had cleaned the apartment and put all my possessions in order, and aside from reading there wasn't much to do there anymore.

Training ground 11 was the closest to my flat so that's where I went. It was a large, forested area, surrounded by a security fence. Inside, the trees were marked by burn marks, knifes, needles and those metal stars I've seen ninja use, _shuriken._ It looked like this place was used frequently.

I did some laps around the forest and went through warming katas in a clearing, then I started reading the instructions in the scroll. I had read up on chakra and the different nature manipulations in the previous evening and I was... reluctant to say the least about what I'd be able to do by myself. Even if my affinity to the wood elemental nature was strong, I just couldn't fathom how I was going to control all those roots and spikes, that seemingly had a life of their own when they sprung from the ground.

Alas, I had to master this, and in short time. I couldn't afford to be a walking time bomb after being offered a second home. They had seemed welcoming enough, but I knew I'd need to prove myself soon, otherwise why would they waste resources on an outsider. That's how it always was, the weak, the untalented ... they didn't last long in this world. After all, _I had killed so many weaker than me._

No, I had to stop thinking about that, I thought, blocking away the flashbacks. Focus on the scroll.

Tenzo's instructions were clear and fluid. First he gave pointers on how to achieve a meditative state. That should help me get a feeling of my chakra, something I hadn't been allowed to do in seven years. Then I should focus on circulating it in my body, try to make it flow in different parts, especially my hands and feet if possible.

It was indeed a novel experience for me, I felt at the same time attuned to my senses and disconnected from my body, like my very essence was ebbing in the vegetation around me. It was peaceful, so very peaceful, I couldn't discern where I ended and where the grass begun.

I didn't know how much time I had spent just feeling my chakra and slowly pushing it through my body, but when I opened my eyes the next time, the sun had almost set.

Around me, the grass had covered my lower-half while I was sitting cross-legged, sticking to my pants and sandals, and gnarled dark roots had sprung from the nearby trees, crisscrossing through the clearing and tangling in the grassy mess around me. It all looked like a bird's nest.

I jumped up as if electrocuted, a shiver running down my spine. _I had done that?_ It looked more controlled and tame than my other outbursts, but it still made me uncomfortable how I hadn't even realised what I was doing. Clearly I'd have to read the entire scroll before attempting anything again.

I didn't know how to get rid of my creation so I made my way back home, swaying every few steps. Meditation wasn't supposed to expend any chakra according to tenzo's notes, and yet I was feeling burnt out, the serene feeling from earlier completely gone.

And all the way back I couldn't escape the feeling that somebody was watching me. I clenched my jaw and walked faster. _Show no weakness._

That night, after falling asleep reading one of the biology books, I couldn't escape the nightmares. People I had killed, decisions I had made in the last months, my parents, coming to Konoha and the events of this afternoon, the memories took turns waking me up every couple of hours. And it always proved harder and harder to fall back asleep, even with the fan turned on near my bed, trying to alleviate the eternal heat that reigned over Konohagakure no Sato.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here we see a bit more about her training both as ninja and a samurai beforehand. And it's action packed. I have a hard time writing fight scenes so let me know what you thought about it.  
> Explanations for the chapter: the code refers to the samurai code of honour, Bushidō. Yoko giri means the sidecut and its a traditional Japanese kenjutsu move.  
> Warning: towards the end of the chapter there are scenes with some sensitive content and slight mentions of sexual abuse.  
> Enjoy !

The next couple of weeks passed relatively quickly, once I figured a routine for myself. I would study during the mornings and practice and train in the afternoon. In the evenings I would stroll around Konoha to familiarise myself more with the village, then go home, cook something for myself, and study some more before going to sleep.

Chakra theory, control, weapon throwing, ninja history, those were all new subjects for me, and I just didn't seem to have enough time to grasp everything. That made me thankful for the education I'd received back in Iron Country, which had included topics far more accessible to civilians like reading, writing, maths and the general history and geography of the Elemental Nations. Without those I wouldn't have been able to understand the complicated diagrams describing the throwing angle of a kunai, or the strategical positioning of, say, Kanabi Bridge during the Third Shinobi War. And like everything the samurai did, my education had been methodically ingrained in my mind with brutal thoroughness from a young age.

Still, I had to admit some things required a great deal of practice, regardless of how much sense they made in my mind. With that thought in mind, it was still hard not to lose my patience one of those afternoons, as I was trying, rather unsuccessfully, to hit the bull's eye with kunai in the training ground. I had littered the practice targets multiple times with the six kunai acquired the previous day, the marks slowly making their way towards the center with each new try. Still, I was barely at the edge of the circular target, sweaty from the exertion and frustrated.

As such, it took me way longer than it should had to notice someone else at the edge of the treeline.

A tall, brown-haired guy, probably in his middle twenties, wearing the standard Konoha chunin uniform. The most striking though, was the ugly scar pulling at the skin from his right ear, across the entire cheek and over the bridge of his nose.

''Can I help you with anything, shinobi-san ?'' I asked, trying to hide my confusion.

''You're the new kid Genma's team brought from Iron'' I nodded, even though it wasn't phrased like a question. ''My name is Raidou Namiashi, he asked me to check on you from time to time.''

O-kay, that was oddly thoughtful from him. But...ah, yes, it's more likely he's there to keep an eye on me, in case I'd become a threat.

I frowned, staring at him in silence.

Instead of being phased by my animosity, he just gave a hearty laugh and made his way in the clearing. ''Don't give me that terrifying look, I just want to help you, honest!''

 _Honest?!_ What kind of ninja would say that. What was the deal with this guy?

My scowl morphed into a blank look as he came to a stop next to me.

''Man, Genma was right, you have a killer poker-face. I guess those samurais really know a thing or two about discipline, huh?''

That only made me tense more. So he had been told about my past.

He looked at the kunai-peppered target.

''Want some help with that? It looks like you made it halfway through, which is good progress for someone not even in the academy yet, but there are some tricks to aiming closer to the center.''

I gave him a considering look. Even if he was lying, I wouldn't be able to tell; and I didn't think that if he were there to shadow me, he would have offered his help.

I nodded.

* * *

As it turned out, I wasn't able to make it to the bull's eye that afternoon, but with Raidou's pointers I got considerably closer to the center, even though I was very slow to aim. He told me that from then on it would only be a matter of practice, but I would have plenty of time to get better in the academy as well.

He had to leave after an hour and I decided to call it a day as well, since it was starting to get dark. On the way back, he regaled me with some funny stories about him and Genma and judging from the warmth in his voice when talking about the other man, the two must have been very close. _Huh._

Once we reached my floor, I turned towards him to say goodbye. ''Thank you for your help today.'' And surprisingly enough, I meant every word. Only now was I realizing how lonely I'd been since coming to the village, majority of the time spent with my head buried in some book.

On my way back I had convinced myself that his help had been offered genuinely. Even if he would have wanted to earn my favors, to take advantage of my abilities later, it hardly seemed logical to befriend me now, when I was so young and useless to him, right?! That also made me feel better about Genma telling him of my origins.

''No problem, it was my pleasure. You pick up stuff very quick and seem to have a strong foundation'' he said, giving me a quick smile that pulled even more at his scar. ''Still, I'd recommend that you work on your overall speed. When Genma's back, drop for some lunch if you want.'' With that he made his way to his own apartment.

You wouldn't have guessed with his appearance, but he was a pretty nice guy.

* * *

The next afternoon, after kunai throwing exercises and practicing my wood release control on some unsuspecting trees in the training ground, I decided to take Raidou's advice about speed the only way I could. By starting to run laps around the village. I would try to build up my stamina and then try to run faster every day. I was familiar enough with the village now to design a route around the few public clocks displayed, to help me mark my progress.

And as I was running my second lap around some training grounds at the edge of the village, thinking about ways to develop the roots I was now able to summon into the technique Tenzō described in his notes, my gut feeling kicked in.

And then the ambush happened.

An earth column sprung from the road ahead and smashed into my front, sending me flying backwards.

Dizzily, I climbed back to my feet, feeling like throwing up my intestines from the shock. Two tall figures had jumped into my field of view and next thing I knew, a punch was being delivered to my gut, making me double over.

I fell to the ground again, and drew my katana from my back out of instinct more than anything. I felt a kick connecting to my side not a second after and felt something _cracking_ inside. I swiped with my blade blindly from the ground in the direction the hit had come from and it caught on my assailants leg.

''Fuckin' Senju bitch''

I didn't catch what he said after, when a sandaled foot slammed into my face and then everything went dark.

* * *

When I came back to my senses, first thing I noticed was the agonising pulsing of my ribs. I had to bite my tongue to the point of drawing blood to keep any sound from leaving my lips. _Everything was aching._

I was sitting on a chair, my hands bound behind my back, the position putting even more stress on my side.

I risked opening my eyes a fraction to survey the room. The two men that had abducted me were talking in hushed tones a few meters away from me. A subtle glance around the room confirmed we were in an abandoned building, unlikely to be checked out by a patrol any time soon.

With dawning dread, I realised nobody would be coming to save me. I had to get out of there myself.

I started fidgeting with my restraints, trying to untie the knot.

That seemed to draw the men's attention, one of them scowling before coming over and slapping me across the face. My head snapped to the side and I was made suddenly aware of the blood pooling in my mouth.

''Don't try something like that, sweetheart'' he said. Brown haired, dark eyed, with a week's worth of stubble gathering unevenly on his face. Wearing Konoha standard uniform. Just like his taller partner, this one sprouting dark hair and a scar over his right cheek instead. Ah, there it is, a fresh bandage over his left ankle, where my sword had made contact.

''We wouldn't want to injure you further before you reach Orochimaru-sama, but you have to cooperate like a good girl'' he leered at me.

My heart jumped in my throat. _Orochimaru._ The highest profile missing nin from Konoha. A criminal whose name was whispered in fear by ninjas, samurai and civilians alike.

And they planned to deliver me to him. Why, to what purpose, I was just a kid that had arrived here out of nowhere.

I schooled my features, trying to hide my emotions. I had to stall for time and gather more information.

''You are both shinobi of Konoha. Why would you be in contact with a traitor?'' I asked, letting my disdain show in my voice. Powerful or not, that's what the guy was, a renegade who had abandoned his people and a traitor who had committed unspeakable crimes. _Dishonorable,_ that's what he was.

The other one gritted his teeth furiously before pulling my head back by the hair until it hit the back of the chair. ''Careful of how you speak about Lord Orochimaru, girl! You wouldn't be able to understand that his reasons are justified and his goals noble'' he spoke with worshipful fervor.

''You are a very special girl as you sure know, and you caught the attention of our lord' the brown-haired explained, coming closer to my face. ''And you're quite a pretty, little thing, aren't you sweetheart?'' my stomach lurched as he put his rough hand on my cheek, before trailing it down my neck and chest, before resting it on my inner thigh. _No._

''We're going to be rewarded nicely for bringing Lord Orochimaru a mokuton user, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun before his middle-man comes to pick you up'' he smirked in a terrible manner as he began opening my pants. His partner went to check the windows as I started trashing against my restraints with everything I had. I knew where this was headed, and the thought made me sick to my very core. _Nonono..._

''You're losing your time with that, she's barely eight, according to her files, even if she's tall'' a third, smoother voice interrupted. A third man had appeared by the door, also dressed in a green flak jacket, wearing navy clothing underneath, like most of the Konoha forces. Unlike most, he had shoulder-length gray hair, peeking from a bandanna with the forehead protector. A massive shuriken was strapped to his back.

''Ah, we were wondering when you'd show up'' the one near the window exclaimed.

The gray-haired man made his way in front of me and took in my rumpled appearance. ''Did you make sure you weren't followed here?'' he asked, and they both shook their heads no.

''What about you? Does anyone know you were out?'' he asked me this time.

I stared resolutely into his eyes and didn't say anything. Hopefully that would make them more paranoid and uncertain, buying me more time to find a way to escape. Now that I knew why Orochimaru wanted me, it became imperative to avoid him. Everyone knew about the experiments...

However, my silence seemed to anger them further. That's why I wasn't really surprised by the punch to my side that followed, even though it didn't make it any less painful.

''Well? Stop wasting our time and spit it out already!'' the white-haired man demanded.

Silence again.

Another blow to the other side this time.

And another to my face. My vision started to blur at that point, the ringing in my ears intensifying.

''Looks like you're a stubborn one. That just won't do in front of Lord Orochimaru. I think we'll have to discipline you a bit before we bring you to him'' he sneered down at me.

I lifted my head to pin him with my glare, imagining all the ways I would cut them to pieces if only I could reach my katana near the wall. I resolved to be as quiet as a tomb, whatever they'd bring at me.

But it was hard to maintain that resolve when they started beating me in earnest. One, two, three, four, five, six... the punches kept coming. To my face, to my chest and stomach, my arms. Kicks to my legs. Air was wheezing in my lungs and something was rattling in my head and all the time I clenched my teeth and bit down my groans. _Self-control._

There was a silver lining to all this though, I realised with the kind of detachment that should have warned me I was about to pass out. Somebody is bound to hear the punches. That was my only chance, since with my hands bound, I couldn't reach my sword or activate the feeble Wood jutsu I had been working on.

This was probably the worst beating down I'd taken so far, probably worse even than the night I'd killed my parents or that one time I'd lied to my father, ignoring _the code._

Another blow to my head.

And just like that night over a month ago, I started to feel something buzzing under my skin, as my mind became more and more foggy with pain. This was pathetic, this wasn't how I was supposed to go out, bound to a chair to be sold off to some asshole, unable to fight back. No, I refused to let anyone have that kind of control over me again.

I felt it gathering in my body, boiling. My feet were burning. My chakra _._ _My anger. **I will kill you all.**_

And then the chakra in me snapped.

A spike of wood burst out of the floor and impaled the brown-haired creep in the chest, lifting him off the ground.

The other two jumped back with sounds of alarm as more roots spiked up around me.

I felt my bindings snap and sprung from my chair towards the wall and my katana. My vision tunneled again as I turned around and barely blocked the kunai the taller man was wielding.

My head cleared for a second. I deflected the knife to the side with my blade. Tucked into a roll to get closer under his guard. Then exploded from the ground, my sword held in the _yoko giri_ way, slashing sideways through his neck and landing behind him.

I heard him hit the ground, while my eyes bore on the last one, the white-haired guy with a bandanna. I felt my anger flare up again, my vision darkening as I remembered how he lashed at me with his blows. All of them high and mighty, while I was bound down, defenseless. Cowards.

The ground beneath me trembled, as another spike drove towards him. He tried to block it by hurling his massive shuriken at it, but it got stuck in the wood, throwing splinters around.

I dropped my hands to the ground, pushing my chakra in it and _willed_ another spear of wood to rise from the floor and stab him.

His terrified face as the spike was approaching blurred in front of me. I think I blacked out for a moment, satisfied at least that I'd take him down with me.

But the moment passed and I didn't hear the sound of flesh being ripped apart.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Itachi's Anbu mask on my right, hands on my shoulders. It was hard to hear what he was saying through the rushing in my ears.

'-no'

'Juno!'

'Juno, stop! You need to stop the technique!'

Stop what?

I turned towards the other side of the room. The wooden beam was puncturing through bandanna guy's right shoulder. Tenzō was on one of his sides, hands clasped together, his own wood jutsu preventing the spear from drilling itself further. Genma was on the other side, hands glowing green on his impaled shoulder, pushing healing chakra in the wound.

Kakashi was making his way towards us, lightning covered hand carving its way through the overgrown spikes.

'Juno, calm down, you're not in danger anymore' Itachi reminded me again, his voice quieter this time.

I let out a gasp, feeling the energy drain out of me all at once. Slid down the wall and let my sword clatter to the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hi! So this chapter revolves around the aftermath of the kidnapping. I tried my hand at telling the story from Genma's POV, hope that came out realistic enough. The eight Japanese words in the second half are the principles of Bushidō. I've been reading a bit from Inato Nitobe's book, but I've yet to finish it, and I would like to base my story on some of the teachings there. I want to present the opposing views of the ninja and samurai, but...well, eh I guess we'll see how that turns out.  
> Anywaaay, enjoy !

Genma was really looking forward to a nice, long soak with Raidou, as his team entered the village premises through one of the hidden anbu gates. What he wasn't looking forward to was the report about their two-week long mission to the Hokage, but he figured he could brave through that, if it meant spending the rest of the day with the scarred jonin afterwards.

All that flew out of his head when, on their way to the Hokage tower, he felt a spike of killing intent coming from an abandoned housing complex on their right. He knew that signature very well, having experienced it over a month ago. And as they got closer, running over the roofs, he recognized the chakra pulsing in thick waves as well.

A brief glance towards his team confirmed their confusion over the kid's presence there. But they all tensed when they noticed another three signatures coming from the same spot, all three indicating chunin level reserves.

Hound signaled 'careful approach' and 'maintain stealth mode' and Genma kawarimied at the entrance with the others.

He climbed up the stairs soundlessly with Cat taking point, apprehensive as to what they'd find on the other side of the door.

The chakra spiked again, thick with murderous intent, and he heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the floor with a wet gurgle.

Cat signaled the door hadn't been trapped and they burst inside, almost running in the spikes growing from the wooden floor.

A chunin, Mizuki, if Genma recalled, was pinned on the wall next to them by a beam.

On the other side of the room, Juno's kneeling form, one hand on the floor pushing chakra in it, the other gripping a sword, every inch of visible skin bloodied.

Hound gave a short, barked out order and Genma rushed through the maze of roots towards the man, hands going through the signs for the mystical palm jutsu. He was unconscious but alive, though not for long, what with the growing gap developing in his shoulder. A quick scan didn't reveal any other injuries. Besides the reddened bruises over his knuckles and Genma blood _boiled_. That explained why the kid was all beaten up.

Cat's hands were a flurry of movement as his own jutsu tangled with the wooden beam and barely halting its progress. Genma contemplated stopping him for a second, let the bastard get speared, but the other two were dead already and they needed intel to get to the bottom of this.

He glanced towards the others when the spike suddenly froze before stopping completely, Cat finally able to dislodge it from his shoulder. Juno had slumped against the wall, her head hanging in front of her to rest against Weasel. He could hear her breathing from there as she tried to catch her breath. All roots had fallen limp around them.

The kid's control had gotten better in these two weeks. Still, no one would have expected a hostage situation to happen so soon.

And that scenario seemed more and more likely, considering the chair knocked to the side, ropes snapped next to it, and the other two corpses littering the ground.

Hound crouched in front of her and asked her to explain what happened.

''She can do that in the hospital'' Genma ground out, pushing more chakra into the chunin's body. He would be soon stable enough to be transported. But the kid looked like she was about to pass out.''I think it's fucking clear what happened''.

Still, she gave the report in short sentences, punctured by ragged breaths. Cracked ribs? He tensed at the mention of Orochimaru. Of course that sick freak would have heard by now about the Wood Release and couldn't resist getting his claws on such a rare kekkei genkai. At his side, Cat had went very still as well, which was expected considering his history with the traitor.

Then she got to the physical assault part and his hands started to shake minutely, one look at her undone pants confirming the transgression. The bruises seemed almost like a mercy compared to what could have happened, had Mizuki not intervened. Still, that didn't stop the utter disgust at the man he was healing.

The others were all silent as she finished relaying the events. Weasel had a death grip on her arm, which was probably the only thing keeping her still upright. Even their leader seemed affected, if the tension in his shoulders was anything to go by.

They felt the approaching chakra flare of the medical team Hound's summon dog had run off to alert the moment they saw the damage. When they entered the room, he let the healing jutsu fizzle out before giving a short recount of the injury and redirecting the rest of them to the kid. She didn't look like she would be conscious for much longer, now that the adrenaline of the fight had worn off, but with the medic nin present, she was out of the danger zone.

He went on to properly inspect the corpses as Cat withdrew the roots back in the floor tiles, offering easier access around the room. Both had been chunin, low-level, unassuming enough that they would have been perfect moles. One of them had been speared through the chest by a branch thicker than his thigh. The one who tried to have his way with an eight-year old kid. Genma kicked him in the head for good measure, but that didn't seem to alleviate his anger.

The other one had his throat cleanly slit to the side, which explained the spray of blood on her left half and sword. Sleek.

Hound came to crouch next to him. ''That's some damage for somebody without formal ninja training'' he noted.

Genma wholeheartedly agreed. ''Kid could have finished the job without our help. Her kenjutsu is impressive. Mokuton control could still use some work'' he added dryly, looking at the hazardous jungle slowly receding around them.

The other hummed affirmatively. The tension hadn't left his shoulders, and through years of knowing him, Genma realised that, unlike him, it was out of guilt rather than anger.

Kakashi blamed himself for this. If they hadn't brought her in, she wouldn't be haunted like an animal barely two weeks in . Even though her fate with the samurai would have been just as grim.

And Genma thought back to what had surely been on all of their minds when they had found Juno in the forest.

_Killing her back then would have been kinder._

With her last name and abilities broadcasting to the entire world just what she could become, she would always live with a target painted on her back.

He sighed, anger draining from him, leaving behind only weariness. They had been following orders from the Hokage. This situation wasn't Kakashi's fault any more than it was his. Of course, reminding that fact to his headcase of a teammate with a guilt complex the size of the Hokage Monument wouldn't be easy.

''We will train her so next time it won't be like this'' he said, fixing the other man with a hard look through the mask holes. Kakashi tensed at the prediction but nodded. Which meant he would take care of the formalities with their leader.

Genma stood up and approached the small team of medics, to inquire about the kid's status, as she was being moved on a stretcher. Rib contusions with hairline fractures on half of them. Broken nose and a few milk teeth had been knocked out, but those would grow back naturally. Besides that, she took some heavy blows to the head, but no internal bleeding, as far as the medic could tell, but they would have to admit her for further observation.

Genma swallowed looking at the bruised face. His tenure in Anbu had desensitized him to most injuries, but seeing children hurt never got any easier.

She didn't have the luxury of a careless childhood. Most of his team didn't have. Kakashi made genin at 6, Tenzō had been a lab project and Itachi had pressure piled on him as the clan heir since he could walk. It was ironic how they all ended up in the same squad.

It seemed like between missions and taking care of the kid's training, leisure time with Raidou would be sparse.

* * *

When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the stinging smell of antiseptic, signaling I was in a hospital.

There was a dull ache in my chest and in my head. I opened my eyes and looked disoriented around. There was a thin tube coming out of my arm, connected to a fluids bag hooked over my head. I tried to pull it off since it was itching me.

A hand stopped me and I looked up to see it was Itachi's. He was sat at my bedside, staring intently at me, an opened scroll in his lap. He was no longer dressed in ANBU uniform, but a high-collared dark shirt and pants.

''You shouldn't pull it out until the nurse tells you to'' he said. At my inquiring look, he elaborated ''You've lost blood and your body is recovering, you need the electrolytes and nutrients in that solution''.

''How long have I been out?'' I frowned looking out at the dark sky.

''A few hours, it's almost midnight'' he replied. The bags under his eyes were deeper than two weeks ago. Was that even normal for a 10 year old? I caught myself leaning forward, staring at him. Guess they finished their mission successfully, in time to rescue me.

And with that, the memories of the previous day's events came crashing down on me. I now realized how close I'd been to being sold off, then molested and then almost beaten to death. My chest tightened and a lump formed in my throat, and I shut my eyes to push everything back down. _Dammit, control_ _yourself_.

His hands suddenly gripped mine, which proved to be an effective distraction. I concentrated on taking a few calming breaths, focusing on the shared human contact and going through a mantra in my head. _Gi, yuu, jin, rei, makoto, meiyo, chuugi, jisei._

When I opened my eyes again he was watching me worriedly, his hands still clutched in mine. I felt yet again thankful that he was there to calm me down.

Good. I was good now, but I sorely needed information.

''Why?'' it was so strange to me. What was so important about my kekkei genkai that would compel a mass criminal to try to steal me away? It was just wood. The only thing interesting about it was that the First had it, but I was just a kid that could barely make some twigs move when I wanted to. And apparently more when I was feeling threatened. But this Orochimaru wouldn't have been able to know, since I didn't have any other outbursts since coming to Konoha. It just didn't make sense to me.

I stared at Itachi, begging him with my eyes to give me the answers.

He seemed to understand my unspoken plea and he sighed, pulling his hands out of mine. 

''This world of ours, it isn't moral or straightforward, like the place you come from'' he stated quietly, looking right at me. ''Shinobi cheat, steal, lie and assassinate on orders. And we earn our living out of it.''

''The only aspect where we might agree with the samurai is on loyalty, in our case to the Hokage and the village'' here his voice turned to a murmur and his gaze hardened, '' but there are always those whose conviction falters in front of personal gain''.

We stared at each other in silence while I digested that. He was looking at me expectantly and I felt that there was a second meaning hidden in his words, something that he couldn't say out loud. So Orochimaru wanted me for personal reasons. Which meant that he thought my abilities would serve his purpose, whatever that was. And there was someone in the village who agreed with him and passed the information about me to his three lackeys. And Itachi couldn't tell me who. That left somebody in power that had been informed about their mission to retrieve me and had read their report about my abilities.

Was there such a person in this village besides the Hokage who could do that?

I'd need to study the books I had for that answer, or ask Genma for more literature regarding the clearance levels in the ninja ranking structure of Konoha.

I frowned but nodded in his direction, to signal him I understood. But I still didn't know how I was going to integrate here, when apparently everything I knew about how an individual should act was reduced to null. In a village where ninjas sold out other ninjas to the enemy. Would I have to give up my values in favor of this opposing ninja mindset, which was so repulsively unprincipled. Did I even want to become someone like that ? Did I have a choice? With the way everyone has been phrasing it so far, it was clear that the price of my stay here was my enrollment in the shinobi ranks.

''What do you think I should do?''

He smiled, pleased I had understood. ''For now, the Hokage will increase the security around you and once you start the Academy it will be more difficult to attempt another kidnapping, since the Academy is well monitored'' he leaned towards me again and I stared mesmerized into his black eyes as they changed to a deep, hypnotising red, the dots inside spinning languidly around his irises.

''Also, I would like to start training you personally, if you would be willing.''

Oh, that could work. That was a sure ticket to getting strong enough, and once that happened maybe I'd be able to choose for myself what kind of person I wanted to be. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This chapter focuses more on Juno's preconceptions towards ninja and the differences from the samurai values she grew up with. She's in a very black-and-white phase right now, which I'm thinking it's appropriate for her age, so keep that in mind while reading. This contradiction between what she considers as right and what she will be asked to do in the future is going to be a recurring theme in the story, but the discrepancy will grow smaller as time passes and she gets older.  
> Also the last part is kinda slice of life-ish, but Genma/Raido is my otp, so indulge me that.  
> Anyway, enjoy !

Next time I woke up, it was already daytime. Itachi-san was gone, Genma having take his place on the chair at my bedside. Were they on orders to keep watch over me?

Sensing my gaze on him, he looked up from the book he had been reading and gave me a crooked smile.

''Decided to join us in the land of living?'' he drawled. His shoulder-length brown hair was pulled into a greasy bun and he was sporting a slight five o'clock shadow on his face.

I wondered whether that white-haired guy I attacked last had survived, considering Genma started tending to him the moment they got there.

''You'll be happy to hear Mitsuki is alive, and as of now still being interrogated in our TI Department'' he replied evenly, once again showing he could somehow read my mind. ''He was a chunin here for years, loyal as far as we know, but some of his more recent missions had brought him to areas where Intel confirms Orochimaru may have been active. That's most likely how he became a spy for him. We' re still trying to figure out who tipped them off about you, but it seems likely a genjutsu was involved to conceal their identity.''

His senbon stopped bobbing for a second, as he fixed me with a sharp look through his half-lidded eyes ''As for the other two, both low-level chunin, no family, no friends who would seek retribution. They were just underdogs Mizuki recruited with white lies and promises of a fat check.''

I swallowed remembering those two. Even though, logically, I had killed both of them, I couldn't stop the uneasiness remembering their actions.

''Kid'' I looked up and Genma was watching me carefully,''I'm going to hug you now, don't skewer me.'' With that he got up and put his hands around me, pulling me into a light embrace. It felt _safe._ I'd forgotten when was the last time I'd felt that.

I was the first to pull away and spoke for the first time that day. ''I'm not sorry I killed them.''

Genma assessed me for a long moment and nodded, something like grim satisfaction flickering in his eyes. ''I had a feeling you wouldn't. And in this situation it was completely justified.'' 

''Still, be careful in the future. Killing a fellow Konoha ninja, if he hasn't shown clear proof of deserting, could land you in a mess'' then he smirked at me, eyes hard as steel ''But good job, kid, took down three enemy chunin by yourself, provided useful information about a missing-nin and you're not even in the Academy yet.'' he jokingly added, lighthearted again ''Keep going like that and you might just snatch the prodigy title from Kakashi and Itachi-kun.''

I perked up at that. ''Itachi-san said he would train me from now on'' I blurted without thinking, then my eyes widened hearing just how eager my voice sounded.

That didn't go unnoticed judging by the grin Genma was giving me ''He might have mentioned something along those lines when we gave our reports'' then he added teasingly at my excited expression ''This could turn cute in a couple of years''.

I stared confused at him, cocking my head to the side questioningly at his weird remark, but decided there were other questions I wanted answered.

''Why would Orochimaru want the Wood Release?''

Genma sighed wearily and slumped in his chair ''For many reasons. As you probably already know it was something unique to the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and it's what he used to create this village. Where before there were only uninhabitable woods, he used the Deep Forest Emergence to build the founding infrastructure for Konoha. Arable lands, compounds for the clans, roads leading in and out the forest, parks and training grounds; when one possesses the vitality and skill to combine water and earth and create life like he did, the possibilities are infinite. That's what makes this ability so addictive to others, Orochimaru included."

I pondered that, knotting the blanket between my unsteady hands. What Genma was telling me seemed like a fairy tale, to be able to manipulate nature like that and give birth to an entire village... And they thought I could be trained to do that as well. The Hokage, Orochimaru and whoever tipped him about me. That's what it boiled down to, after all.

''You brought me here because you want me to be like the First.'' I said in the end, pinning Genma with a hard look and at such didn't miss the apology written on his face. ''That's the price for offering me shelter, isn't it?'' it felt cruel to expect something like that from me, but this cold logic I could understand, I had been raised by it. It made more sense than giving me refuge because my family had mistreated me.

Still the goal seemed insurmountable. ''What happens if I can't rise up to that? You take me back to Iron ?''

Genma looked startled by my question. ''What?! That's not even-'' he sighed and combed a hand through his hair muttering something about 'bastards who made her so paranoid'.

''Listen, kid, I'm not very good at this bonding thing and I'm not saying that the Hokage doesn't have high expectations from you, but the main reason we, our team, brought you in was because you weren't _fitting_ there, and they were destroying you for it'' he said, pointing at arms, where the numerous scars from training or punishment or the uncontrollable mokuton outbursts were visible against my pale skin.

I startled at that. There was a definite underlying edge of worry in his voice, that matched the one he used when he hugged me earlier, or while snapping back to Kakashi the previous day, or while healing me in Iron. There was worry on his face as well, frustration and anger and a few other things I couldn't decipher warring in his eyes.

Could that be that he cared for me more than as a weapon or a means towards an end ?

''Itachi-san said ninjas lie and cheat'' how could I trust that they weren't manipulating me, getting me to trust them so they could use me later?

Reading my mistrustful gaze right, he sighed again, something like self-deprecation twisting his mouth ''That we do and I don't have a way to prove my sincerity to you, aside from my words.'' he met my searching look head on. ''But even shinobi, wicked as we are, slowly move forward as we try to atone for the past. There's still a lot of room left for us to grow. I'll admit.

''But in this village we believe in the Will of Fire, a conviction inherited from the First, which dictates that everyone living here be treated and cherished like family. That's why we don't leave teammates behind and look out for our own.'' his face lighted up as he talked about his philosophy and his hand reached out to hold my smaller one.''You are one of us now and there are people that care about you here. I can't speak for the Hokage and his political reasons behind offering you special treatment in the beginning, but even if you hadn't had the Wood release, we would still count you as one of us.'' he gave me a tentative smile, for once no trace of sarcasm.

A place where everybody is treated like family, huh. It explained the cheerful atmosphere and liveliness all-present in the streets. I knew the civilians here were different from Iron, I never realised that might be the case for the military forces as well. So even while doing such despicable deeds, they were still capable to nurture such honourable ideals ?

But weren't Genma and his team proof enough of that ? They were considered some of the top soldiers here, meaning they excelled at everything a ninja embodied, and still had shown me so much compassion until now. And he said they _cared._ Maybe their reasons for helping me weren't so selfish. Maybe, there was a way to live by both ways here, samurai's and ninja's.

It still didn't lift the heavy burden of expectations or the uncertainty of my future here. But Genma was offering me a middle way to navigate in this world on a sword's edge, do my duties to the village while maintaining a semblance of morality.

My lips quirked upwards, and with a burst of uncharacteristic emotion, I was suddenly so relieved, because for the first time since forever, I was feeling like somebody was fighting in my corner for me. First Kakashi-san giving me shelter in the name of his kage, then Genma providing me all those books and teaching me how to cook, Tenzo's scrolls and invaluable pointers, Namiashi-san's weapon throwing lessons, Itachi-san's mentorship offer and now this. So many people had supported me these past two months, it seemed silly to doubt them now.

''Then I will follow the Will of fire as well'' I said and, after a pause, gave his hand a squeeze.''I will protect this village and the First's legacy, but I will do so my own way.''

I looked intently at him, hardening my resolve, and sensing the weight behind my words, he straightened as well.

''I promise I'll never make you regret your kindness, Genma.''

* * *

After two days were spent recuperating in the hospital, I was discharged with orders to take it easy for a while. While being bedridden I'd gotten to asking Genma about the damage I'd taken and how the medics had stopped the pain and healed my ribs in such a short time. Back in Iron that kind of blunt trauma I'd received would had left me unable to move for weeks, here, after a few hours spent under the green-glowing hands of my doctors, I was feeling right as rain. So I asked him how it was possible.

And now here I was, a few days later, lounging on the insanely comfortable couch in his apartment with a scroll on basic anatomy, while he and Namiashi-san were cooking in the kitchen.

I was once again surprised by how cozy his place looked. Maybe it was silly of me, but somewhere in my subconscious I had expected weaponry on the walls and corpses in the closet. Thinking about it, I should dial down on the civilian preconceptions about ninja, since I was planning on being one of them.

Still, if Genma had any weapons and traps there, they were hidden behind the tastefully arranged but utilitarian furniture. What really drew my eye though, were the dozens of bookshelves lining the wall, filled neatly with scrolls on any possible subject.

Namiashi-san burst out laughing when I tripped on my half-unclasped sandals in my rush to get to the library, which turned to wheezing at my mortified expression over such an ungraceful blunder.

I turned towards Genma for help, but he was giving the other man this strange gooey-eyed look I've seen nurses give Itachi-san, so I dropped it and began perusing the titles.

Genma had recommended anatomy for now, to build on what I already knew from the samurai. But instead of using that knowledge to cut somebody to ribbons, now I would learn to use it to heal.

And wasn't that such a novel notion? There were ninjas out there that dedicated their lives to studying the art of healing instead of killing, that performed surgeries in hospitals and mended back broken bones or limbs on the battlefield. Ninjas that were almost like scientists, using their powers to improve the life quality of others. In a way, that's what the normal shinobi were aiming for in as well, accepting missions to bring revenue and help Konoha and its population prosper. But the ways they accomplished that through assassinations, trickery and falsehoods didn't sit well with me.

In comparison, medic-nins almost looked like saints, with an admirable cause and a honorable conduit. This, this was a way for me to maintain my morality while serving my village in the shinobi ranks.

( _Of course, I'd learn later on just through what gruesome means they came to know how to treat the human body, the sinister trial and error process that made so many suffer over decades before it started showing progress, the experiments conducted on war prisoners violating every concept of human decency, and the corruption in the medical system. But in the beginning, I was blissfully oblivious to all that,_ )

''Lunch's ready'' Genma announced near my ear, startling me from the scroll I had been devouring over the past two hours. He smirked at my indignant frown and I was glad that he seemed to have relaxed a bit, having fussed over me incessantly for the last few days. Still, it was nice to know somebody cared for me like that, not that I would be caught ever admitting to that.

Lunch was an interesting event, if a bit aggravating, Namiashi-san insisting to crack my stoicism with lame jokes and silly faces and Genma piping in from time to time with dry sarcasm. ''Seriously, Genma, doesn't she remind you of Kakashi in his younger days? Definitely genius, sticker to the rules, could dress down adults trice her age, same insane hair and utter lack of fashion'' Namiashi-san ranted, mockingly counting on his fingers, and okay, he wasn't completely wrong, but- ''My hair does _not_ look like Kakashi-san's'' I retorted, because even if it had its wild days, it didn't stick in all directions haphazardly like said jonins. I was brushing it everyday, dammit.

''But appearance-wise she takes more after Itachi-kun'' Genma quipped, and I turned starry-eyed to him. It was true I was starting to develop a bit of hero-worship towards the older boy, which for some reason seemed to amuse the older man. ''Both have eye bags that could put Tenzō's to shame'' he added and my head dropped in disappointment.

He wasn't wrong about that. I'd never slept well and as such developed some remarkable panda eyes. Itachi-san's might come from overworking, but instead of making him look haggard like in my case, it only added to his looks. Still, it was unfortunate that was the only parallel he could draw between us.

The guy was good at everything, so far I've seen and heard, so of course appearance would be one of them. Meanwhile I just managed to look awkward, too tall for my age, too pale for Fire Country, with tired brown eyes that didn't fit on my face and dark hair with a life of its own on most days. I was really hoping all that would normalise once I finished my growth spurt, because right now I would need new clothes every few months.

After we finished eating, I was in the process of helping both men clean the table when we heard a knock on the door and the subject of our earlier conversation appeared in the kitchen door.

''Hello, Itachi-kun, you just missed lunch, would you like me to fix you something?'' Genma greeted.

The older boy smiled a bit but shook his head ''Thank you, but I have also just had to lunch with Mother at the compound'' then he turned to me and I snapped at attention, then cringed when somebody snorted in the background. ''I have no missions this afternoon. We should start your training if you are available, considering the Academy shall start soon and you don't possess any knowledge in hand-to-hand combat'' he stated calmly and I fought down the sudden embarrassment at his frank assessment.

Still, I turned my head eagerly to Genma and he made a shooing motion ''You run along, kid, me and Raido are perfectly capable of finishing up here''.

''Thank you for the meal'' I said while bowing and followed Itachi-san in the hallway to put on my shoes. I barely avoided a hair ruffle from Namiashi-san, but accepted gratefully a couple more books and scrolls on anatomy from Genma.

We said on our goodbyes then and Itachi-san showed me to the training ground I had used since coming here to practice.

* * *

In hindsight, I might have to reconsider the budding admiration I had developed for the older boy. Because after showing me the Academy based katas and making me run through them a couple of times, he proceeded to wipe the floor with my ass in taijutsu every single day after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, she finally reached her decision and now has a clearer(ish) plan for the future. She's also accepted that others care for her and won't be so suspicious from now on towards Genma's mother hen tendencies.   
> Also I'm trying to alternate between very serious thought and speech patterns and somewhat childish outbursts, since in my mind that's how an eight-year old raised like that would act in this new environment.  
> I've decided that Itachi is going to use the tough love approach for her training, imo that's the fastest way to to build up her reflexes and get her used to unarmed combat, since speed and strength she already has from wielding her sword.


End file.
